Korean: Tukabseu 2, Tukabseu 3


TWO COPS is a 1993 South Korean action/comedy hit starring Ahn Sung-Kei (THE SOUL GUARDIANS) and Park Jong-hoon (NOWHERE TO HIDE) that has yet to surface on DVD. However, Spectrum is offering its two sequels together in this double feature package. Kang Woo-suk's TWO COPS 2 finds drastically mismatched policemen Kang (Park) and his rookie partner, Lee (Kim Bo-seong), at war with both the underworld and each other. Kang (a screw-up who is always on the make) does everything he can think of to get Kim either drummed off the force or, preferably, killed. However, Lee (a black leather clad powerhouse who operates strictly by-the-book and has the personality of Robocop) consistently walks into dangerous situations and emerges completely unscathed. After government officials' homes are targeted by a stealthy thief, Kang finds a fortune in diamonds stashed in one suspect's apartment. Unfortunately for his new retirement plans, Lee is on to him and threatens to have Kang locked up unless he helps take care of the precinct's 52 unsolved cases. However, Lee's enthusiasm gets the better of him when Kang tricks his partner into beating up the son of a rich man. With Lee facing dismissal from the force, Kang is free to make up for lost time (and, more importantly, bribes) but will he be able to live with his conscience?

The majority of TWO COPS 2 is only fitfully amusing, closely following the buddy cop comedy formula established in both Hollywood and Hong Kong movies (Lau Kar-leung's TIGER ON THE BEAT, in particular). With virtually no plot bridging the various incidents, the movie never really picks up speed but there are some genuinely inspired bits here (particularly a running gag about shaking down local underworld bosses) and the action is fairly well choreographed.

In Kim Sang-jin's equally episodic TWO COPS 3, Lee is now the veteran forced to deal with a reckless newcomer. Worst of all, Choi (Kwon Min-jung) is also a beautiful woman, a prime reason in his mind for the rookie to be kicked off the force. Despite graduating at the top of her class from the police academy, Choi performs miserably on her first day but rapidly improves, getting her partner's back up. She really comes through with flying colors during a kidnapping incident and, in the process, saves her superior's job. The chauvinistic Lee eventually swallows his pride and just in time, too, as a dimwitted crimelord has flooded Seoul with illegal firearms, turning the streets into shooting galleries.

The cinematography and production values are improved and the action is even more plentiful. However, like most sequels, the filmmakers are content to merely rehash popular situations and gags (like Lee tasting the blood of a murder victim to determine her time of death and his "terminator in bed" escapades) and they are not amusing the second time around. There is also a fair amount of humor devoted to bureaucratic incompetence and the political situation, jests that probably went over well with the local audience but do not really travel. A few good chuckles can be had (provided mostly by the aforementioned gang leader, who definitely did not get where he is through brain power) but the film gets by mainly on the basis of Kim's endearing mugging and Kwon's fresh, energetic performance. The score includes part of the title track from Tangerine Dream's soundtrack for SHY PEOPLE.

Spectrum #SPD-835 (South Korea label) Coded for ALL Regions (The box carries the Region 3 symbol but the discs are actually all-region)
Two Cops 2
Dolby Digital 2.0 Sync Sound Korean Language Optional English Subtitles 20 Chapters Illustrated In the Menu With (Tiny) Clips Enhanced for 16:9 Displays Letterboxed (1.79:1) 111 Minutes Contains moderate violence, sexual content, coarse language, and brief nudity	DVD menu courtesy Spectrum.
Two Cops 3
Dolby Digital 5.1 & 2.0 Sync Sound Korean Language Optional English Subtitles 20 Chapters Illustrated In the Menu With (Tiny) Clips Enhanced for 16:9 Displays Letterboxed (1.79:1) 98 Minutes Contains moderate violence, coarse language, brief drug use, and nudity	DVD menu courtesy Spectrum.

TWO COPS 2 & 3 is available at Poker Industries.